Tag: RAMS

In the best of possible ways, you can never really tell where RAMS is headed next as an artist. He’s always developing and refining his creativity to a point of highly impressive versatility, and today, this takes shape in the form of an anthemic new single, “Myself”. Produced by Yuma Beats, the knocking roll of the drums and the simplistic melodies blend to an addictive extent on this one, and without a doubt, it’s one of RAMS finest displays of ability to date.

Just as reflected on the iconic artwork, “Myself” is focused on success and the adjacent monetary gains, calling upon flex-worthy lyricism from RAMS to match the mood. It is with this single that the Dorchester-bred creative proves to be headed in a fascinating direction with his music, so be sure not to sleep — RAMS is always worth clicking play for. Listen to “Myself” at the link provided below!

Here at Graduation Music, we’ve been covering new work from RAMS for over a year now. Upon each successive release, the Boston-bred artist is always keen to push his artistry in new directions which we haven’t quite heard from him before, showcasing a sense of ambitious creativity that always finds the name RAMS back in the headlines at just the right times. Today, such is the case as he drops off a brand new single by the name of “Spend The Night”.

Equally braggadocious as it is fun, this track lets fans know how RAMS has been living as of late. He lets out luxurious rhymes and illustrious bouts of imagery over melodic production courtesy of Chazz, and the result is a song perfectly fit for any party you might find yourself at over the next few months. With “Spend The Night”, this rising talent was sure to put something accessible and easily-lovable out for the fans, so be sure to appreciate it in all of its anthemic glory.

Banding together to form one of the most exciting, creative groups out of Boston in recent memory, NSFW is dead set on making their presence known as artists. The wide scope of talents and ideas that they bring to the table is unlike any other, and consequently, these rising talents are on a fast track to great notoriety with their infectious wave of ingenuity. Today, we see these attributes on full display with the group’s latest release — a brand new single entitled “NSFW In Order”.

Featuring RAMS, Donald Grunge, and Fat P, this offering acts as a loud proclamation of prowess from the group. They use a thunderous, slightly chaotic background of production courtesy of Maka in order to fully communicate this shared, galvanizing energy, and in doing so, “NSFW In Order” comes across as an absolute banger. It builds walls just to break them down, demonstrates immense power, and most impactfully, does so in a charismatic fashion that any listener can latch onto. NSFW is ready to take the top, so be sure to keep an eye out for them in the future and listen to their latest single at the link below!

To make music and to be a creative, in general, is to make a promise of dedication; dedication to constantly improving one’s line of work and dedication to never compromise artistic vision. Few artists within the Boston music community exemplify this trait as well as RAMS. Whether it be writing songs, making clothes, or directing visuals, he always seems to have his hand on projects that work towards the end goal of improving as an artist, and in this way, it only follows that RAMS has grown into one of the most polished, sophisticated artistic minds in the area.

He’s been a noteworthy figure in Boston dating all the way back to the very roots of the current scene, and we here at Graduation Music had the opportunity to talk to the Dorchester native about a variety of topics pertaining to his hometown, JMP, “Diablo”, NSFW, Cam’ron, and much more. Read our conversation below.

Where are you originally from?

I’m from Boston – Dorchester. Columbia Road, to be specific. My family is from New Orleans and I used to live down there when I was super young for a short period.

What was your childhood like and where did music first come into the picture?

My childhood was pretty similar to anyone who grew up in the hood with a single mother, I think. I just always remember my mother constantly feeding me knowledge and creating such a great home environment – sometimes it didn’t feel like we were fucked up and I’m super grateful for that. Music has always been around me because of her as well, since forever.

What artists were you influenced by as a kid and why?

I would say I was influenced a lot by artists like Sade, Erykah Badu, Luther Vandross, etc. That stuff pretty much came from my mother, but one day my sister had given me all her old CDs so I started to really get into Tupac, 112, Nas & artists like that. I also went to a school with a lot of Hispanics so I was super into reggaeton too.

How did Diablo come together and what does that project mean to you? How about ‘Fear & Loathing’?

DIABLO came together pretty organically. I like to put out conceptual projects rather than singles all the time. That project means a lot to me. Everything I make is like a child of mine.

Fear & Loathing holds a special place in my heart because I feel like that was sorta the blueprint of my overall sound. [It] showed myself and others that you can make more out-of-the-box stuff. People from all over tell me how much they love that project. I love inspiring people in any way I can.

What did it mean to you seeing the Diablo Racing Club shirt in Vogue?

Shout Out to my brother Rah. It was dope! It was just some street style shit but it was still dope to me. Like damn, we did that, lol!

What is your creative process when writing treatments or making music?

Well, first things first, I have to be in my zone. I don’t have an exact process, believe it or not. My mind is just super random so things usually pop up randomly then I just make sure to get it out. Sometimes its hard to force myself to create if the right energy isn’t there.

Lately, we have seen you doing a lot of work with JMP. When did you first meet him and how has your working relationship evolved and come together?

I met JMP in like 2012. That’s my brother so I wouldn’t say we really have a working relationship. It’s definitely more of a friendship first. I appreciate him a lot for giving me the opportunity to showcase my creativity in other fields. I look up to all my friends. They all inspire me more than they know.

How did the Cam’Ron opportunity come about? How did it feel seeing your name on a music video from such a cultural icon?

Well, actually that was kinda random. I had just written like 3 Playboi Carti videos at the time (they didn’t get made) and told one of my close friends, Pat. Pat was working at the label that Killa is on, and was like “Oh shit Rams, I didn’t know you were writing videos! Wanna write one for Cam?” And of course, I said fuck yea. That’s the first video that I did that came out and it was Cam’ron. That’s so crazy to me.

Me and Cam had a long convo on set and he basically said that he fucked with me and what I’m tryna do. After hearing that, it was lit. I made sure to put a lot of people from Boston in it too, just cause. So yea, shout out Cam, Pat, & Cinematic Records.

Why did you relocate from Boston to New York? How do the two cities compare?

Cause I needed a change. I was doing the same things over and over again. Kind of felt trapped. And it’s so easy to have done everything in Boston. Sometimes you need new land to conquer, and they are just two very different cities. The comparisons would take all day. Love both cities but Boston will always be home. 4L.

Being around when Boston’s “new” music scene was first forming, what are your thoughts on the way it has grown and the success of artists like Cousin Stizz and Michael Christmas, for example?

We were the cool, new, young faces so it gave the city a brand new energy. We still need a lot of help in the city. Years of hidden racism and venues not wanting anything to do with hip-hop acts have really hurt the music scene for young black kids that are trying to get into music and that needs to change. I hate it. We have a long way to go.

With that being said, there are a lot of kids doing dope shit and taking things into their own hands, and I love seeing that. Stizz and Xmas popping off is great cause now the doors open. More importantly, they are able to provide more for their families and where we come from – that’s what matters the most.

What can fans expect from you and the NSFW family in 2018?

Everything. We are just gonna start hitting people over the head with great art. Keeping it raw, real, and genuine. I have visuals and videos I’ve directed coming out soon, too. I’m dropping an EP called CHOKE very soon. Then the next album, Fear & Loathing 2.

If you’ve been tapped into the Boston music community in recent months, the group name “NSFW” has undoubtedly surfaced right in front of your eyes at least once or twice. Encapsulating a number of unbelievable talents from the area such as Rams, Donald Gunge, Cave, and Maka, this collective of rising artists holds the firepower to do some serious damage, just as shown in their debut single as a group, “Sandman”, which came out just yesterday. Sometimes putting all your chips into one bet isn’t the best idea, but when you throw these all-stars on one track together, it most certainly is a fantastic idea, equipped with a seamless chemistry that already shows through in their first offering.

That being said, “Sandman” immediately forms its identity by way of key-led production courtesy of Maka, only to clash against electrifying verses from Rams, Grunge, and Cave to follow. Each artist follows right after the last, not just adding to the excitement but also bringing it to the next level, and in this way, I believe that “Sandman” is an early indication of the heat that NSFW, or NOTSAFE FORWORK, has on the way for us. I’ve been a fan of the individual talents contained within the group for quite some time in their solo careers, so seeing them come together feels like a full circle moment that nobody will be forgetting about anytime soon.

Listen to “Sandman” below and experience that sky-high potential that NSFW is bringing to the table.

RAMS. You may know him for his unrivaled skills as a director, you may know him for his deep catalog of standout visuals and songs, you may know him for his fashion ventures, or maybe you know him from something else. Regardless, I think we can all agree on one thing: RAMS is very, very talented no matter what he decides to get into. Today, the former Boston native reminds us of his polished artistry with a new offering entitled “All of Dem!”.

Directed by Pinkslip and produced by Maka, this song and video go hand in hand as a combined, revealing look into the unique mind of RAMS. You truly can’t tell where he’s going to go next, but you always know it’s going to be next level, and “All of Dem!” follows this format with immense loyalty. The hand imagery seemingly reveals RAMS in the context of such an intriguing listen, and all in all, every element of this release mesh to form a video/song that I will definitely be revisiting quite often in the future.

But don’t just take my word for it, watch the visuals for “All Of Dem!” below:

If you have been following Graduation Music for some time now, it goes without saying that you are to hip to the Jordan-Pippen greatness of RAMS and Maka. Their unique styles mesh together with an unrivaled sonic touch, and thinking back on all of their past collaborations, from “Champagne Tears” to “Disease!”, it’s safe to say that these two rising talents can’t miss when joining forces. Today, RAMS and Maka are back on our pages to keep the win streak going with a new track titled “Brain Dead”.

Premiering via Noisey Radio, this single weaves through a synth-led atmosphere to find RAMS delivering his signature, unforgiving flows and mysterious vocals in an alluring manner. Right by his side, Maka kills it on the boards for this one, lending a hand to make for a standout single overall. Also notable, “Brain Dead” is set to appear on RAMS’ forthcoming project, Fear and Loathing 2, as the first single. Be sure to show some love by listening to the new track below, and keep an eye out for news regarding the release of the full project.